Language Access and Interpreter Services in Dental Practice
More than 25 million Americans are classified as having Limited English Proficiency (LEP), and federal civil rights law (Title VI of the Civil Rights Act) requires recipients of federal funds — including Medicaid and Medicare providers — to provide meaningful language access to LEP patients at no cost to the patient. In dental practice, language barriers affect informed consent, pain communication, treatment adherence, and patient satisfaction. Describe your approach to providing language-accessible care, including when and how to use professional interpreters.
Likely follow-up · A patient brings their 8-year-old child to serve as an interpreter for their dental appointment. What are the clinical and ethical problems with using a child as a medical interpreter?
